Paederia foetida

Common Name: skunkvine

Family: Rubiaceae

Common Synonyms: none

USDA Hardiness Zone: 11- 9

Growth Habit: Vine

Origin: Eastern and southern Asia

FISC Category: 1

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: Yes

Introduction Date: Before 1897.

IFAS Assessment:

• North: PROHIBITED
• Central: PROHIBITED
• South: PROHIBITED

Description

Semi-woody vine, climbing by twining, or prostrate and rooting at the nodes, stems to 7 m or more long. Leaves opposite (rarely in whorls of 3), stipules conspicuous, petioles to 6 cm long, blades entire, oval to linear-lanceolate, 2-11 cm long, hairy or glabrous, often lobed at the base. Leaves and stems with fetid odor, especially when crushed. Flowers small, pedunculate, corolla tubular with 5 spreading lobes grayish pink or pale lilac with darker throat, outer surface pubescent. Fruit shiny, yellowish-orange, subglobose, to 7mm wide capsule. Seeds 2, black, round, not winged.

Habitat

Sandhill, floodplain, upland mixed forest.

Comments

Recently spreading into parts of North Florida.

Control Methods

• Manual: NA
• Chemical: Foliar (3%-5% glyphosate), basal bark (10% trichlopyr ester). Within 2-4 weeks re-treat the area with basal applications of 10% triclopyr ester. This second treatment can be time-consuming because many underground runners sprout. The area should continue to be monitored (IFAS).
• Biological: NA

Control Notes

NA

References

Langeland, K.A., H.M. Cherry, C.M. McCormick, K.C. Burks. 2008. Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas-Second Edition. IFAS Publication SP 257. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.NA

Langeland, K.A., J.A. Ferrell, B. Sellers, G.E. MacDonald, and R.K. Stocker. 2011. Integrated management of non-native plants in natural areas of Florida. EDIS publication SP 242. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.